Staff Reporter.
Atalanta claimed a comfortable Champions League 3-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.
The Italians have now taken four points from their two Champions League fixtures this term after beginning their campaign with a goalless draw against Arsenal.
And this result never looked in doubt from the moment former Charlton and Everton forward Ademola Lookman created their 21st-minute opener with a curling delivery from the left that was flicked home by Albania captain Berat Djimsiti.
Having already rattled the Shakhtar crossbar, Lookman then doubled Atalanta’s lead a minute before the interval, with a placed effort into the bottom corner from Sead Kolasinac’s pass.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s side put the contest beyond doubt three minutes after the restart when Raoul Bellanova capitalised on some hesitant defending to nod in Davide Zappacosta’s cross at the back post.
Shakhtar, who are playing their home matches at Schalke’s ground due to Ukraine’s ongoing conflict with Russia, struggled to trouble the visiting defence and have one point from two games.
Meanwhile Girona scored two own goals and missed a penalty as they fell to a narrow 2-3 defeat in their first Champions League home match to Feyenoord.
Elsewhere Atletico Madrid have been sanctioned with a partial stadium closure and fine after crowd trouble in Sunday’s derby game against local rivals Real Madrid.
The La Liga match was halted for about 20 minutes in the second half after Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois complained to officials that home fans behind his goal were throwing objects on to the field.
Appeals were made over the stadium loudspeakers for fans to stop throwing objects but they were ignored, prompting the suspension of the game.
The Spanish football federation’s disciplinary committee has now ruled Atletico must close the lower south section of the Metropolitano Stadium, where the trouble occurred, for the next three games.
The club have also been fined 45,000 euros (£37,460) for what the body called “very serious” and “totally unacceptable” offences.
The match finished 1-1 after Atletico’s Angel Correa scored a stoppage-time equaliser to cancel out Eder Militao’s opener.